Suction-cleaner.



H. HARROL'D. SUCTION CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED we. 19, 1910.

Patented June: 6, 1911;

2 SHEETS-8HBET 1.

annex 1&0: Q W

Y a I HARROLD. SUCTION CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1910.

Patented June 6, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I E STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARMA N HARROL-D, OF CANAL DOVER, OHIO.

SUCTION-CLEANER.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that LHARMAN HAnRoLn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Canal Dover, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suction- Cleaners;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to air cleaning apparatus, and has for its objectthe production of a portable cleaner, electrically or otherwise operatedupon a suction or exhaust principle, for speedily and effectuallyremoving dust and dirt from carpets, curtains, rugs, and articlesofhousehold furniture and furnishings in general.

It is designed, arranged and adapted for all of the various uses towhich the more common form of vacuum cleaners are applicable, in dwellins, churches, public buildlngs, assembly ha 1s, and all manner ofstructures where the removal of dust and dirt is a constantly recurringproblem.

As a further obyect my present invention contemfplates a simplificationof the said class 0 cleaners, the production of a cleaner which iseconomical both in its cost of construction and maintenance, peculiarlyeffic ent 1n its operation, comparatively light in weight, easilycontrolled, and durable.

As a further object this invention presents a novel structuralarrangement of,

parts including a direct and positively driven rotary exhaust fan andblowef which insures at all times auniform continuous suct on action asdistinguished from the intermittent action of cleaners working upon thevacuum. principle.

The invention will be hereinafter particularly described and pointed outin the claims following.

- In the accompanying drawings which form part of this application, andwhereon like numerals indicate corresponding parts.

in the several views: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the'inventionomitting the customary suction hose but'sliowing the hose coupling. orattachment, Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection through the entirestructure upona' relatively enlarged scale, Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectional view of the invention taken through Fig. 2 immediately belowthe dust bag or separator, Fig. 4 is a plan View Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed August 19, ,1910.

Patented June 6, 1911.

Serial No. 577,907.

of the suction or exhaust fan detached, showingin dotted lines below thecentrifugal blower with which said fan cooperates.

Reference being had to the drawings and numerals thereon, 1 indicates anannular hollow motor-case preferably of cast metal, having a centralmotor-shaft bearing 2 in its closed bottom, integral lugs 3 upon itsinterior, and recessed upon its upper edge as at 4. Mating withandseated in the recess 4 is a downwardly extending flange 5 upon thebottom 6 of a fan and blower case 7, also of annular form, and bypreference of cast metah At its center the bottom 6 of case 7 isprovided with a perforated boss 8 constituting a second motor-shaftbearing, and at points in alinement with the lugs 3 aforesaid thisbottom 6 aswell as the said lugs 3 is perforated by bolt holes for thereception of bolts 9 as a means of detachably but firmly securing cases1 and 7 together.

Upon lugs 8 rest the fields 10 of an electric motor 11 the same beingfurther secured by screw threaded connection with said bolts and byagency of the lowermost nuts 12 thereon, which serve the additionalpurpose of lock-nuts; Passing vertically through the motor 11 is thepower shaft 13, suitably mounted in bearings 2 and 8 aforesaid, andconnected directly to a combined suction or exhaust fan 14 andcentrifugal blower 15 now to be particularly described' Shouldered uponthe reduced upper end of shaft 13 is a hub 16 securely afiixed by agencyof a nut 17 or similar means, while at the bottom of said hub is ahorizontal unbroken disk 18 constituting a base for the fan and blowerstructure. Upon this disk 18 are rigidly affixed a series of blowerblades 19 curved as indicated by dot-ted lines in Fig. 4', and arrangedin vertical planes at right angles to that of the said disk 18. Directlyabove and similarly secured to the blades 19 is a second disk member orblower cover 20, which, unlike disk 18 is broken by .a central opening21 and provided with anupstanding flange 22 surrounding said openingbetween which, and hub 16, opposite ends of the fan blades 14 aresecured at an angle to the planeof the disks 18 and 20. f

Thebottom 6 of fan and blower case 7 is perforated as at 23 to furnishan outlet for the air driven off by blower 15 and is surrounded by anuprising annular wall '24 shouldered circumferentiallyas at 25 and 26.Upon the annular shoulder 25 rests a disk 27 having a central opening topermit passage of the fan flange or collar 22, and bearing upon itsouter edge a packing gland 28 the latter being securely held in place bya rigid annulus or ring 29 of angular cross sectional shape as shown byFig. 2. Thus it will appear that the hub 16, disks 18 and 20, theinterposed blower blades 19, and fan blades 14 revolve in cluster uponmotor shaft 13 and between the relatively fixed bottom 6 and top 27 ofthe fan and blower case 7. And while the foregoing form of blowing orexhaust apparatus has been particularly described as one means forcreating the necessary suction, it will be understood that same isherein employed merely as an exemplification of various forms foraccomplishing the same or similar results.

Securely retained between the angular ring 29 and flange 26 at the upperedge of case 7 is a sheet metal cylindrical outer casing or drum 29constituting, the body of the structure, broken only by an opening for adust collecting dra'wer 30, and at one side by a hose coupling orattachment 31 constituting the inlet to an inner casing hereinafterdescribed. At its upper edge the drum or body 29 is reinforced by anannular angle iron '32 corresponding with the ring 29 below and like itserving to support a packing-gland 33 upon which latter rests a flangedcap or cover 34 for the entire structure.

Near its bottom the outer drum or body is provided with a false bottom35 crossing from side to side immediately above nut 17 upon motor shaft13. This serves as a ,rest for the dust drawer 30, and is broken at itsedge by a series of air passages 36; while rising from said floor orbottom 35, to which it is firmly secured just inside of the series ofair passages 36-aforesaid, is a concentric inner drum or casing 37 whichdiverges slightly toward its upper edge and terminates just below thecap or cover 34 thus approximating in height that of the outer casing29. Thus it will be noted, particular reference being had to Fig. 3,that the air discharge passages or outlets 36 are located between theouter and inner casings or drums 29 and 37 respectively, and extendaround their entire circumference, except where interrupted by thepassage of the dust drawer 30. At this point the structure is renderedpractically airtight by a horizontal partition 38 connecting the saiddrums 29 and 37 above the drawer 30, and vertical partitions 39, 39performing a like service at each side of said drawer. To the innercircumference of the said inner case 'or drum 37, at approximately itsvertical center is secured, as by brazing or other wise, a r1g1d ring 40between which and a correspondlng loose ring 41 is fastened the outeredge of a hemispherical flexible and collapsible dust bag 42, whichcromis up when inflated or in service as shown by Fig. 2 and is providedat its center with an agitating rod 43. The said rod 43 has a reciprocalbearing in a boss 44 at the center of cap or cover 34 and terminates ina knob 45, as shown. Immediately beneath the said annular flange 40 uponopposite sides of the structure and extending from front to back thereofare inclined segmental dustshields 46 and 47 secured rigidly to theinner wall of drum 37 and terminating above the dust drawer 30, as ameans of directing dust and dirt into said drawer. The shield 46 isunbroken, but as clearly shown by Figs. 2 and 3, an air inlet tube 48extending from the coupling attachment 31, opens directly through boththe outer and inner casings 29,.37 as also the shield 47 beneath thedust bag or screen 42.

As indicated by Fig. 1, an electrical supply wire 49 is introducedthrough the motor casing 1 to the motor under control of a switch 50,when electricity is employed as the motive power, and as a means offirmly but detachably securing cap or cover 34, and drum or casing 29 tothe fan and blower case 7, bolts 51 are employed provided either withheads as shown by Fig. 1, or wing-nuts if preferred, and extendingdownward at equidistant points between the walls of casings 29, 37, asbest shown by Fig. 3, to be screwed into bolt holes suitably tappedthrough ring 29, packing 28, disk 27 and into the shoulder 25 of case 7,all as will more plainly appear in a brief statement of operation tofollow:

Presuming all parts of the cleaning apparatus to have been arranged andassembled substantially as shown and described, the power of motor 11,acting directly through its shaft 13, drives fan 14 to exhaust thechamber immediately above. As a consequence a steady and continuoussuction is produced through the working tools and suction hose (notshown), and through the air inlet tube 48, leading directly to theinterior of casing 37, whereupon the flexible and collapsible screen ordust bag 42,is first inflated or crowned upward as indicated by Fig. 2.This screen or separator being of porous flexible material freelypermits passage of the air supply, but arrests the dust and dirt carriedthereby which gravitates i directly into the dust drawer 30, or uponshields 46, 47 and thence to the said drawer. Continuing, the air supplyscreened as aforesaid, finds passage between the downwardly 29 and 37,respectively, and thence through peripheral apertures 36 to the exhaustchamber immediately above the fan and blowing device. Exhausted thus byagency of fan 14 diverging walls of outer and inner casings 3 the air isinstantly and centrifugally driven 1 renovated. Thus it will be notedthat the outward by the action of blower blades 19 and thence from theapparatus via discharge outlets 23 into the room or apartment beingsuction or exhaust is continuous and peculiarly steady while motor 11 isIn operation,

and when stopped by agency of the switch 50 or other means, the dustscreen or bag 42 assisted-by the weight of rod 43 naturally gravitatesto and rests partially upon the side shields 46 and 47. Moreover, itwill be noted that thesaid rod 43 may be agitated' at any timeto'efiectually shake off or clear the screen or bag 42 'of all dust orthereon, and when a cleaning operation is concluded the resultingaccumulation orforeign matter that may have accumulated sweepings may beconveniently removed from the apparatus by merely withdrawing the drawer30 asis self apparent. It will also. be observed that the downwardlyconapproximating that of outer casing 29 before it can be discharged,with the result that screen 42 is practically located within a flue.Moreover the aforesaid relative arrangement of the flexible screen 42and inner casings 37 permits said screen to crown up into asemi-spherical form as shown by Fig. 2 when in service, so thatthe'bulkof the dust and dirt in transitis arrested by the approximatecenter of said screen where the the screen aforesaid, and an outletfromagitation due to motor vibrations'is most marked; and it willbefurther observed that the service air is discharged-in a downwarddirection through a diverging circumferential passage formed by andbetween the concentrically arranged walls oft-he outer and inner casings29 and 37, respectively. Having thus described'my inventlon in itspreferred form of construction, what I claim and desire to.secu'r'e byLetters Patent is:

1. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination with an outer casing,of an inner casing approximating in height that of the outer casing, acollapsibledust screen crossing said inner casing at ,an intermediatepoint adapted to be distended. to a point approximating the height-ofthe inner casing, an inlet to said inner casing below both of saidcasings. p

2. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination with an outercylindrical cas-.

ing, of an inner casing approximating in height that of the outer casingand .cent'rically arranged, a collapsible dust said inner casing at anin- COH- screen crossin termediate pomt, adapted to be distended to apoint approximating the height of the inner casing, an inlet to saidinner casing below the screenaforesaid, a nd an outlet from both of saidcasings. v

3. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination with an outer casing,of an inner casing approximating. in heiglrt that of the outer casingand havin downwardly converging sides, a-collapsib edust screen cromingsaid inner casing at an intermediatepoint, adapted to be distended to apoint approximatlng the height of the inner casing, an'inlet to saidinner casing below the screen aforesaid, and an outlet from both of saidcasings.

' K 4. In -a suction. cleaning apparatus the combination with an outercasing, of an inner casing approximating in height that of the outercasing, a collapsible dust screen crosslngsald inner casing at anintermediate point, adapted to be distended to a point ap, proximatingthe height of the inner casing,

an inlet to said inner casing below the screen aforesaid, an outlet fromboth of said casings, and a dust drawer entering both cas ings belowthescreen aforesaid.

5. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination with an outer casing,of an inner concentrically arranged casing approximating in height thatof the outer casing, a collapsible dust screen crossing said innercasingat an intermediate point adapted to be distended to a pointapproximating the height of the inner casing, an inlet through both ofsaid casings below the screen afore- 'said, and a cylindrical outletformed bythe walls of said casings.

6. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination with an outercylindrical casing, of an inner cylindrical concentrically arrangedcasing appr ximating in height that of the outer casing, a collapsibledust screen crossing said inner casing atan intermediate point adaptedto be distended to a, point approximating the height of the innercasing, an inlet through'both of said cas-' ings below the screenaforesaid, and a downwardly diverging cylindrical outlet formed by thewalls of said casings and discharging below the inlet aforesaid.

7. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination with an outer casing,of an inner casing approximating in height that of the outer casing, adust screen'crossing. said inner casing at an intermediate point, aninlet to said inner casing below the screen aforesaid, an+outlet fromsaid outer casing, a false bottom for the outer casing upon which theinnercasing rests, and air passages through said false bottom betweensaid casings a v8. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination withan outer casing, of an in- 1 ner casing approximating in height that ofsecured to said inner casing at an. intermediate point, adapted: to bedistended to a point approximating-the height of the casing, an inlet tosaid inner casing below the screen aforesaid, and a'c1rcumferent1aloutlet between said casings.

9. In a suction cleaning apparatus the combination with an outer casing,of an in-, ner casing approximating in height that of the outer casing,a collapsible dust screen secured to said inner casing at anintermediate point adapted when inflated to inner casing below thescreen aforesaid, and

crbwnupward, to-a point approximating the height of the inner casing, aninlet to said 15 a circumferential outlet between said casings.

In testimony whereof'I aflix my signature,

in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\HARMAN HARROLD.

Witnessesz ALBERT P. HARKER,

LEEGH A. GROVE.

